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Paint the Sky with flair, or take in some tunes at the Hot Air Affair

There is so much music and other activities in which to partake at the 27th annual Hudson Hot Air Affair, which has as its theme Paint the Sky, there is no way you’ll be painted into a corner when deciding what to do.
The longtime ballooning extravaganza running from Feb. 5-7 also is sponsoring the Taste of Hot Air Affair as a fundraiser. It features a sampling of food and drink, appetizers and desserts. The charitable event will include music by Boondoggle, members of which come from the Roberts area. The five-member country, rock and blues band covers songs from more than 50 years.
The tasting event is set for Saturday from 7:30-10 p.m. in the Chateau Room of the Hudson House Grand Hotel, 1616 Crestview Drive. Proceeds from the Taste, in its fourth year, will go to the Hudson High School Mental Health Program.
Pre-sale tickets can be purchased for $20 (or $25 at the door) at event sponsors Hudson WESTconsin Credit Union, the Hudson House, or Linda White Family Hair Care.
Also as part of the Hot Air Affair, Urban Olive and Vine will again feature a pair of very different bands. Jazz Savvy takes the stage on Friday and the duo of Kiersty and Nathan Santos on Saturday. Both start at 7 p.m.
The Negret winery in downtown Hudson will have a duo of brothers, Matt and Max, playing on Friday and Saturday nights. In sessions at Negret, Matt plays a toned down style that allows people to converse or even read a book, and not be hampered by a loud guitar.
There is deejay dance music downtown at Dick’s Bar and Grill on Friday and Saturday starting at about 10 p.m., which gives a chance to mingle with the pilots, especially after the adjacent Torchlight Parade and following fireworks starting at 7 p.m. Friday. Also, there is karaoke in an intimate setting at the bar at the Plaza Lounge/Hudson Bowling Center on both nights, a venue not far from the Moonglow or Field of Fire that is set for Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Other noteworthy Hot Air Affair events are balloon launches at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and at 3 p.m. on Saturday, all weather permitting, and smoosh boarding at 1 p.m. Saturday. All are at the Rock Elementary School grounds.
The Hot Air Affair has as its corporate sponsor the WESTconsin Credit Union.
Visit www.hudsonhotairaffair.com for more information.
Urban Olive and Garden has some “warmup” gigs for the Hot Air Affair this weekend:
— Yes, some great jazz comes straight outta Iowa. Get your groove on, it’s suggested, as the Bierma duo from there say they will provide lively jazz played from the heart, featuring Nancy on piano and Jim on bass. They are on Friday, Jan. 29, at Urban Olive and Vine.
Nancy Anderson-Bierma is a jazz pianist in Minneapolis. She has played piano since age four and has a degree in music from Drake University in Iowa. Since 1980, she has played professionally with her own jazz groups, as a soloist, and with jazz fusion, R&B and pop bands. She’s performed extensively in the Midwest and made her mark behind the piano. Living in Des Moines, Iowa, for many years, Nancy was a well known jazz musician and organizer of jazz events.
Jim Bierma played with the Irene Myles Trio at the Hotel Savery in Des Moines for 18 years. Some of the musicians that sat in with that trio included Tony Bennett, Chick Corea, New Kids on the Block, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Stewart and Johnny Mathis. Musicians that he plays with in the Twin Cities include Debbie Duncan, Phil Aaron, Charmin Michelle, Ron Lee, Phil Hey, Tom Pletscher and Dennis Spears.
— With a name like Classico Brazil, you know what you are getting. They play at Urban Olive and Vine, with Tony Hauser, Hans Friese and Tim O’Keefe performing Brazilian jazz to kick off your weekend, their online bio suggests, even though in this case, they take the stage on Saturday, Jan. 30.
Classico Brazil performs classics from the vast Brazilian repertoire in a traditional format, typical of the bossa nova and choros era in 1930-1970 in Rio de Janeiro, using guitar and flute, sax and percussion. Such music originates from Baden Powel, Jobim, Pixinguinha, Ernesto Nazareth, Jacob do Bandolim, Tony Hauser, Ary Barroso and Egberto Gismonti.
What follows are two other entertainment choices for this weekend:
— The country, pop and light rock band Still Runnin’ posted 18 new photos on their website, all of them taken at a gig at the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Dec. 12, 2015. The shots show plenty of audience members — you might even recognize yourself — but the photo gallery also is pertinent considering lead singer Jenna Reed’s various shades of red-hot auburn hair. There’s a chance for more of this when Still Runnin’ again hits the stage at The Willow on Saturday evening, Jan. 30. The band’s play list has a lot of country, but also ranges deep into the vault to cover groups like Thompson Square.
— Kozy Korner patrons may or may not choose to be left out in the cold (while gaming, or warming up indoors) this weekend, depending on the timing of when their contests come up, as they can compete in an outdoor bean bag tossing tournament.
Saturday afternoon is the third annual Frosty Bags tourney, hosted by Kozy Korner Pub and Restaurant in North Hudson, which also offers hot food when you come in from the outdoor elements. Also set to warm your innards, between games ot tosses, are samplings of a new local liquor, Demon Rum.
The area available for playing is the size of many outdoor ice rinks. However, the south wall of Kozy is right at the sidelines, so it shouldn’t take much time out in the cold to venture over and have some pizza or rum to stay warm. Or debate the merit of gloves vs. no gloves while playing, like an NFL athlete, over some of the beer offered for free. But none of this should put a chill on your competitiveness.
Mild temperatures, in the 30s, are forecast, but there is a chance of precipitation, so you might want to duck inside on occasion for that pizza and beer.
The event, which starts at 1 p.m., is a fundraiser for St. Croix Valley Rotaract. Two-person teams will compete for a guaranteed first-place prize of $200. Entry fee is $20 per person, and the event is only open to those 21 and over with proper identification.
Contact Alicia Schneider for more information at (715) 338-3664, or at alicia@logomos.com.

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